


Tidal Wave: Triggered by the Aftershock

by SketchWitch



Series: Tidal Wave [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, continuity errors are intentional, it's gonna get dark before it gets better, let ven say fuck, noncon doesn't actually happen but there are dubious shenanigans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2020-05-31 00:22:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19414585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SketchWitch/pseuds/SketchWitch
Summary: This was not how junior year of high school was supposed to end. When life comes crashing down, everyone is left to pick up the pieces from the disaster, and no one can see things the same way again. Some are dragged down to the undertow, and others hit rock bottom. At least from there, the only way to go is up.Also known as the somewhat self-indulgent Namine-centric fic I always wanted to see in the world.





	1. Episode 1: Shifting

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to the first fanfic I've ever wanted to post online! I decided I wanted to write this story because Namine's character strongly resonates with me, and because I needed to see more developed versions of some characters and their relationships. This is not the first story I've ever written, but it is the first multi-chapter work I feel comfortable enough to share (even if I haven't totally finished it yet). The overall plot is planned out, but I am trying to keep the story organic and letting different characters pick up where others leave off. The titles for each part are lyrics from songs by the same title (some from Portugal. The Man and others from All Time Low), and the "episode" titles are supposed to follow the theme set by each part. I really hope you will enjoy the first part of "Tidal Wave"!

Ventus grinned and wiped the sweat off his brow. Today, he was on top of the world. It was Friday, his kendo team had a day to rest before Sunday’s competition, and it was one of those brilliant days of spring that belied the early days of summer. What made today extra-special was that he wouldn’t spend his evening with his team, but with his new girlfriend.

Strictly speaking, Namine wasn’t really _new_. Ven and his brother Vanitas had been longtime friends of the quiet, but kind girl, and he’d always felt protective of her. She was, after all, the mayor’s daughter, a pale and fragile-looking thing, and she’d lost her mother when they were all young. Still, throughout their lives, seeing her smile felt like sunshine. Her presence evoked a comfortable warmth within him, and the feeling had only grown stronger over the years. Ven never wanted to lose that feeling, and so he found himself spending more time with her, even when Vanitas had other plans that kept him away from them; the pair studied together, she attended his competitions, and he made regular appearances at her exhibitions. A romance felt like a natural progression of their relationship.

So, they’d planned a date for the evening. It was supposed to be a library date; the thought was to stop by his place after practice so he could change, then go to the library to do their homework (like the diligent students they were), followed by whatever struck their fancy. He had an inkling that they’d end up killing time reading or walking around until nightfall, then they’d stargaze for a couple of hours before he’d walk her home. It would be perfect.

When their sensei dismissed them from practice, a few of the other boys on the team wished him luck, jokingly ruffling his hair, making kissing noises, and telling him to “have fun with his new _girlfriend_.” One senior was wiping away a fake tear, lamenting that their junior was finally growing up. He blushed, raking his hand through his hair to ensure optimum appropriate messiness.

“Jeez, guys, it’s not--” he tried to correct them, but thought better of it. It _was_ like that, he realized. Looking away, he corrected himself, “It’s only the first date. Neither of us is in any hurry.” He scowled. “Now let me clean up in peace!”

His teammates laughed, patting his back, but otherwise did as he said, only addressing him to offer encouragement for their competition that weekend. Ven tried to hurry, ridding himself of sweat and changing back into his school uniform as efficiently as possible. Namine was supposed to be waiting for him by the gate to the school. He couldn’t let her wait for him for too long.

Within minutes, he was rushing through the halls. Whether it was nervousness or excitement driving him forward, he couldn’t tell, but he couldn’t stand to slow down for one second. When he was finally approaching the gate, he sped up just that little bit. Namine gave him a wave from where she stood, and he grinned. She’d evidently gone home instead of simply waiting for his practice to end; she was already wearing her street clothes--a pastel-blue gingham sundress, which was a welcome change from the school uniform he ordinarily saw her in.

“Ready to go?” she asked, smiling softly.

Ven nodded, offering a hand for her to take. “Yep! Let’s get going,” he replied. He twined their fingers together, taking up a leisurely pace as they headed in the direction of his family’s house. The walk back wouldn’t take terribly long, even with the distraction of conversation; Ven lived closer to campus than Namine did, if only by a couple of blocks. The streets were quiet while Ven recounted significant parts of his classes and practice session.

“So I just have to remember which side I move to when the other guy strikes. As long as I don’t get too mixed up, I should be able to test for the next rank after summer break!” he announced.

Namine giggled. “Exciting as that would be, we still have college entrance exams to worry about,” she replied.

“Oh right! What programs are you considering?” Ven asked. “Mostly art and design, right?”

“You remembered,” Namine grinned. “My father wants me to go into architecture…” she trailed off.

“But…”

“ _But_ I think my talents are much better suited to assisting others in a more direct sense. I’m considering a more creative approach to treatments for illnesses like dementia. By visually rebuilding meaningful memories, it makes them stronger, so they won’t be forgotten as easily. It’s better than a photograph because the patients would be filling in the details themselves, rather than trying to place a photograph.” She halted, gently tugging his hand to turn him toward her. “What do you think?”

He simply smiled. “I think it’s brilliant,” he replied. They enjoyed a comfortable silence over the final block to Ven’s home, and he told her she could make herself at home while he changed into street clothes for the library.

“I’ll be back in a minute,” he said, and he slipped his hand from hers, climbing the stairs to his room.

Unsurprisingly to him, he heard loud music streaming into his room from the bedroom next door. However, he was surprised when he couldn’t find his favorite band tee. Confused, he searched his room for it, checking under his bed, behind the hamper, and every nook and cranny in his closet. Frowning, he concluded that either Vanitas took it or it was still in the laundry. So much for being back in a minute. He decided he’d check Vanitas’ room first, since it was closer.

Looking around Vanitas’ room, Ven sighed. He knew it would be a mess, but piles of clothes were strewn all over the room, and he couldn’t tell what was what. Groaning, he started digging through the closest pile. He frowned. Everything was the wrong color. He didn’t want to make Namine wait for too long, but he really wanted to find his shirt. Why would Vanitas have even wanted it, anyway? He couldn’t think of any reason in particular, since they had developed different tastes in music.

After searching through a few more piles of laundry, Ven found his shirt, and deeming it acceptable for wear, he donned it. Satisfied, Ven padded his way back downstairs. He made his way toward the living room, apologies for the wait ready on his tongue, but nothing on the planet could have prepared him for what he saw when he arrived.

Namine lay on the couch, crying and shivering, pulling desperately against the hand restraining both of her wrists, while another hiked up the skirt of her sundress. She was whimpering, albeit muffled by someone else’s mouth against hers.

“Shhhhh,” a familiar voice whispered just above her. “Do you want Ven to hear?”

“Vanitas…” Ven breathed. “What the fuck?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #LetVenSayFuck!!! So, we start off with quite a bit of drama! The next chapter is in progress, but due to the fact that I have far too many things going on irl, my writing won't follow a specific update schedule. Originally, I wanted to complete more chapters before posting, but I got too impatient with my self haha. So, stay tuned for the next episode! 
> 
> Preview: The next episode will feature Vanitas more heavily.


	2. Episode 2: Cracks in the Foundation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanitas' version of events in Episode 1.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, I had another chapter halfway prepared so I finished it and decided to post it! Beta'd by my twin sister, who we shall call "cold spicy." This was quite a trial for me to write due to the subject matter, but I hope you appreciate the writing nonetheless!

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be  _ his _ , end of story. Vanitas and Ventus had spoken about it, albeit a long time ago. Vanitas had sworn, then, that he would be the one to outshine Ven, for once, and he’d get to be with Namine. But, for some reason, Ventus always won every competition he was in; top of their class in school, cast as a main character in the play for the cultural festival, and a kendo star to boot! Vanitas studied hard, but always seemed to be sidelined. Always in Ventus’ shadow, whether he wanted to be or not. Even their parents still asked him, ‘Why can’t you be more like your brother?’ As if he even wanted to be. 

Still, he’d done his best on his own, making his own friends separately from Ventus and Namine. The idea was that he’d be the more popular of the two, and he’d get Namine to like him  _ that _ way, but… obviously, that didn’t work out. Vanitas and Ventus were twins, damnit; why did she have to choose  _ Ven _ ?! He wasn’t that great; not really. Sure, he had things he was good at, and he got good grades, but Ven could be such a  _ snob _ sometimes. Everything Ventus had, Vanitas didn’t. And Ven rubbed it in his face every single goddamn day.

The day Vanitas heard about Ven and Namine’s first official date as a couple, his blood started boiling. He scowled and left the school after lunch, citing that he didn’t feel well and he needed to go home. He couldn’t stand to be around the gossip; not when the world itself had to be wrong, since there was no possible way that Ventus could have stolen Namine from under Vanitas’ nose. Not before he had a chance to prove that he was worthy.

On the walk back home, Vanitas pulled a pack of cigarettes from his bag and slipped one out. With a wry chuckle, he supposed he was lucky that pure rage wouldn’t light his cigarettes. Otherwise, he’d have burned through the entire pack already, and then some. He fished his lighter out of his pocket and flicked it open. He took a long drag of smoke. Ironically, it helped to clear his mind, and he arrived at a new purpose: he was going to steal Namine back.

How was he going to accomplish such a task, though? He had to prove that he loved her more; that he would treat her infinitely better than that stupid Ventus would. Or even better, he ought to make his presence in her heart greater than Ventus’. The thought crossed his mind: did Ventus hold her hands? How often had he hugged her? Had he kissed her yet? Oh, that thought stung and sunk in his gut like a stone. Without even going through the whole cigarette, he dropped it on the sidewalk and crushed the burning end under his heel. He kept walking, fuming.

He would show them both and for once, Ventus would be the one who was pushed to the sidelines. The rest of the way home, he allowed his imagination to run wild with the possibilities for his future relationship with Namine. 

She’d always been so sweet to him, even when no one else was. Ventus clearly didn’t deserve someone like her. Not that Vanitas did, either, but he felt he was more capable of loving her the way she deserved. They understood each other. They were both living in someone else’s shadow. Namine’s father always saw so much of his late wife in their daughter, and Vanitas was required sit quietly while Ventus got all the glory and the attention. Even when all eyes were on Ventus, though… Namine still had eyes for Vanitas. She made sure to make time for him at every party they both attended (though, granted, it had been a long time since Vanitas attended any of  _ those _ parties). She waved at him in the hallways at school (even if he pretended he was too cool to notice). When they caught each other while he was leaving the house and she was over, she wished him well. She definitely cared for him, which was more than he could say for most people, even his own family. She was just good that way. She deserved love that was just as good.

When he got home, he trudged up into his room. He peeled off his school uniform, put on some music, and collapsed on his bed. He wanted to text Namine, but knowing her, she would have reprimanded him for using his phone during class, if she answered him at all. Maybe if he told her he’d gone home sick…? She’d bring his homework after school, probably, after expressing her concern. Maybe instead of going on her supposed ‘date’ with Ventus, she’d want to nurse him back to health? How far would she go to make sure he’d feel better? Heat blossomed in his chest at that thought. He was going to text her.

_ Hey, Nami _ , he typed. No, that was too… generic-sounding. He still wanted to seem cool, and it hadn’t helped that he ignored her in the hall most of the time. He deleted the text.

_ Yo, I need a favor. _ That sounded… like he just wanted something from her. He backspaced it all and tried again.

_ Hey, I went home sick :( _ Okay, now he just sounded pathetic. He growled. Why did texting have to be so goddamn hard? He needed to relax. He got up and dragged himself down the hall to the bathroom, where he opened the medicine cabinet and took one of his mother’s sleeping pills. The instructions on the bottle said to take 2 tablets to aid in falling and staying asleep. Vanitas only needed to loosen up, not to pass out, so he tipped one tablet out of the bottle and popped it into his mouth.

He padded back to his room and picked up his phone.  _ Sick today. Bring my homework? _ he texted Namine. Satisfied, he tossed the phone onto his bed and without bothering to charge it, he grabbed some pajama pants and returned to the bathroom to take a shower.

When he was clean and at least half-dressed in his pajama pants, he wobbled his way downstairs to the kitchen for some juice. He took a sip and heard the front door click open.

Ven’s voice said, “I’ll be back in a minute.” Vanitas assumed one of his friends was over, but he wandered to the living room to see who Ven had invited. Namine! He took another sip of juice to hide his smirk.

“What brings you here?” he slurred. Namine looked back at him with some concern, then her eyes widened.

“I got your message,” she replied. She dug into her bag, and pulled out a few papers and a textbook that he supposed must have been his, since she held them out toward him. “Are… you okay?” she asked. “Maybe you should sit down. You seem a little… flushed. Let me see if you have a fever.” As if on cue, he felt the heat rise to his face, just like in a scene from the light romance comics he knew she liked. The moment felt… surreal. Maybe he fell asleep earlier and he was dreaming?

His body seemed to move on its own, following her directions. He sat on the couch, and she approached him, leaning in to feel his forehead. But if this was a dream, that meant he could… He leaned in further to close the distance. Perhaps he was a bit clumsy, but she was sweeter than he could have imagined.

“Vanitas, what--”

“I’ve always liked you,” he confessed. “Be mine, not Ven’s. I’ll treat you better than he would. Let me prove it to you.” He kissed her again. “I’ll make you feel so good. You’ll see.” When he leaned in again, Namine leaned back, placing her hands on his shoulders. He removed them, clumsily trying to hold them both in one hand, while he tried to snake the other around her waist. He pulled her toward him, and when his lips found hers again, she moaned into it. He wanted to hear more, but he knew Ven was home, and… really, he didn’t want to be caught just yet.

“Shhhhh,” he shushed her. “Do you want Ven to hear?”

“Vanitas…” A voice cut across the room. Shit, it was Ven. “What the fuck?” He crossed the room with surprising speed and yanked him off of Namine. “What do you think you’re doing?” he growled with a ferocity Vanitas had never experienced coming from Ventus. He’d never been like this before. Before he realized it, pain bloomed across his jaw and he fell to the floor. What…? What was going on? Everything was so messed up. 

He blinked, and heard Ventus fussing over Namine. Lights swam across his vision, but he stood and took a swing at Ventus in return. “You don’t deserve her!” he roared, but Ventus blocked him easily, pushing him back to the floor. Vanitas blinked again, but his eyes dragged open one at a time. He was… so tired…

“Neither do you,” Ventus seethed. His brother’s face was twisted in disgust. Vanitas simply chuckled.

“So, you admit it…”

He closed his eyes and everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there we have what was in Vanitas' thoughts. Writing this felt so much like ripping off a band-aid. It was quite painful, but also in some way almost therapeutic? It's hard for me to describe. I realize that when I wrote the story summary, I said that it was Namine-centric, but failed to specify that it was only in the sense that the story surrounds her, and she is simply the main central character. 
> 
> I feel I should reveal that I have some mostly concrete plans for the rest of "Tidal Wave" that will go beyond what I've included in the story tags currently, but I didn't want to tag anything super-revealing for the story this early on. Please stay tuned for the next episode, where we'll actually see more of Namine.


	3. Episode 3: The Storm Rages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life goes on for Namine as the spring semester comes to a close. However, depression is neither kind nor gentle.

Naminé didn’t remember walking home with Ventus. But she must have, because there was no other way for the both of them to be at her house, Ven relaying his side of events to her father. He and his staff, who followed him everywhere, all had hardened faces with set jaws and narrowed eyes. Aeleus’ hands were clenched into fists, and Dilan snarled his displeasure. She didn’t see her father’s face, but she had a feeling he would do something drastic. Good. Good? Maybe. Ven accepted whatever her father said with a nod and glanced back at her. He waved, but Naminé didn’t hear him say goodbye. She didn’t have the strength or voice to offer a farewell, regardless.

All she had wanted to do was study. Do her homework, talk to Ven about the future, and now… all she could think about was Vanitas. How strange he seemed, his too-hot breath, the pressure of his fingertips, the wrongness of it all… she didn’t know what to think about it, or how to feel. She wanted it to just stop. She wanted to go back in time, to make sure it didn’t happen, to see that it wasn’t real. Except, it  _ was _ real. She wandered to her bedroom; she couldn’t stand to see any of the faces that usually graced her house. She just wanted to sleep and pretend that it was all just a crazy dream. Crawling into her bed, she shut her eyes tightly and curled up as snugly as she could. She’d do her homework later; when she woke up.

The next few days were hazy. Ventus, in his right, had done well in his kendo match, from what she’d heard. She hadn’t seen him. He hadn’t made any effort to see her, either. She wasn’t sure she’d even want to see him, if he did. She’d never seen him so angry as he’d been the last time she saw him. She decided she didn’t want to think about it, but then she glimpsed him in the hallway of their school. He seemed…. Sad. Lonely, even. It made her think of  _ him _ , and she just  _ couldn’t _ anymore. She turned away.

How long was this going to continue? Was she really supposed to carry on like this? She couldn’t remember going to school at all for the past week, and finals were rapidly approaching! She didn’t know the material she was supposed to study, but who in her class could she even ask? Even the teachers gave her odd looks when she walked by. She was never called on in class now, either. Mostly… everyone left her alone. She didn’t know if it was comforting or embarrassing.

Before long, Namine’s father had requested that she begin counseling sessions. His concern was valid; unwanted, but she didn’t really care to continue going on as she was, either. At his behest, she began seeing someone. Talking to them was another story entirely. Technically, the man was a physician, and he and the intern weren’t exactly the foremost experts in mental health, but she knew that Even was a doctor that her father trusted, even if she didn’t. She considered Even to be a madman, and though Ienzo was more reasonable, the treatment recommendations (such as keeping a diary or socializing with friends) were outside the realm of what Namine considered achievable. During her sessions, she mostly fiddled with the hem of her skirt or her hair. She  _ almost _ considered having it cut.

The last Saturday before finals, Ventus finally approached her. “Hey,” he greeted her. Gosh, even from a meter or two away, he sounded so distant; as though she was underwater and he was calling to her from the surface. Her mind ran with the metaphor, but it seemed as though Ventus could swim better than she could. Not that this was saying much; Namine couldn’t swim at all. Did she even want to, at this point? Perhaps if she stayed in the depths, nothing would reach her again, and she wouldn’t have to feel bad. There would be no need to fear anything, and she could just sleep her troubles away…

“... mi…? Nami? Gee, everyone was right. I heard you’ve been spacing out a lot. Do you need help studying for finals?” Ventus offered. Namine’s chest tightened and she froze, staring with wide eyes that slowly filled with tears. She blinked, and the world spun on.

“I--I…. I…” she stuttered. Her voice rasped from lack of use. Her grades hadn’t suffered too horribly in the past weeks, since she had a semester’s worth of knowledge to lean on, but she still hadn’t quite grasped the newest information from her classes. Her father would, no doubt, have a tutor assigned to her soon enough so that she could begin studying for college entrance exams. “I have to go,” she nearly sobbed, and she rushed off to the nearest bathroom stall, sobbing heavily. She did not want to study with Ventus. Not if he was going to give her that sad, lonely look like  _ he  _ usually did.

The days continued to pass in a fog she couldn’t quite remember. Her father hired a tutor for her, and she passed her exams--though, she only knew so from the evidence of seeing her exam scores after the class rankings were posted--but she needed to get away from the suffocating atmosphere. She started walking home, relieved that summer vacation was upon the school, though it also meant that a trial would be scheduled. Her father had ensured she gave a statement to the police when they had come by for one, but she didn’t remember what she said. Did she even say anything, or did she just write it out? Or did she just doodle on the statement sheet? Did it even matter, now that it was done? Would they still need her when the trial finally happened? Still on the way home, she sank to the ground and hugged her knees. She didn’t want to face them ever again.

~~~~~~~~~~

Today, Namine had another appointment with her counselor and his student. Even urged her to process her emotions surrounding the incident while Ienzo took notes. She wasn’t sure how she felt in the moment, but she knew she didn’t want to relive the incident, even verbally. Ienzo kindly offered tea, and Even offered platitudes that he probably got from a self-help book. Regardless, the sessions often did little to help.

This time, however, Even had a different suggestion. “Perhaps what you need,” he suggested, “is a change of scenery.” Namine looked up and looked in his direction for what might have been the first time since his last medical visit. “Seeing something new can be inspiring, and it could remind you that there is a life to be had outside of your mind. See if you might be able to go on a trip over the summer,” he ordered. He dismissed her next, and she heard whispers between the two that her father should organize such a change of pace for her, given her reaction to the suggestion. She rolled her eyes. Let them talk. This was the first thing she’d been even close to excited about in… well, in a long time, if her calendar was anything to go by.

After she got back to her room at home, for once she had enough clarity. Did she dare to hope...? She completed her summer homework, ate a little, and, for the first time in weeks, drew on her sketchpad. Where did she want to go…? The scenery from the train window that she drew overlooked an ocean sunset. Perhaps she could go somewhere by the sea? It would be so serene; the reflection in the ever-changing water of the constant sky.

She prepared herself for bed, and thoughts of escape comforted her. Somewhere far away, where she wouldn’t have to think about anything at all… She drifted to sleep like a raft on the ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we finally have something from Namine's perspective. There will probably be at least one more chapter or two before we transition to the next season of Tidal Wave.
> 
> //EDIT: you can find me on tumblr now @xehanikeshorts ! feel free to bug me to write more or share anything you'd like about the story :)


	4. Episode 4: The Crash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ventus tries to move past what happened.

Following The Incident, Ventus wanted to make sure Namine was alright. He wanted to protect her still; it was technically his job, as her boyfriend, and he’d done a damned awful job of it so far. He wanted to do better; he wanted to make all the hurt go away. But, every time he tried to send her a message, he didn’t know what to say. What was he supposed to tell her? ‘Hey, I’m sorry my brother tried to rape you, can I still come over?’ That sounded so terrible! Police had eventually taken his brother away, and Ventus was too angry to speak with him. He did compete with his kendo club, and he’d performed well; because or in spite of his rage, he couldn’t say. Naminé, it seemed, had withdrawn further into her inner world. She’d always been somewhat quiet, preferring to stay on the sidelines rather than be in the spotlight, but she had also at least been focused and present. And, she would talk to him if she had something on her mind.

Ventus sighed. When would Naminé be ready to talk again? He missed her. Maybe it would be a good idea to let her know he was available, if she needed him. He pulled out his phone and quickly typed out a message, saying that he’d still listen when she was ready to talk. At this point, he wasn’t sure if he should expect a response or not. If it happened at all, it wasn’t likely to be soon, anyway. It was awful, really. He wished that things could go back to the way they were, but he knew they’d never be the same. He hadn’t spoken to Vanitas since he was arrested, either. He’d probably have to, at some point, but he still wasn’t ready to forgive Vanitas for what he’d done.

Frustrated, he groaned into the palm of his hand and raked his fingers through his hair. He was of a mind to ask his friends Terra and Aqua for advice; they were from the local kendo club (in which he also participated), and often acted parentally toward him. He opened up a group message on his phone to send to Terra and Aqua:

> **VEN:** I think I need some advice…

He didn’t have to wait long for a reply from Aqua; she always seemed to have time for him, in spite of her busy schedule.

> **AQUA:** What’s going on, Ven?

Ventus smiled as a pending text bubble also showed up for Terra. His message appeared not seconds later:

> **TERRA:** I noticed you’ve been feeling kind  of down lately. Did something happen at  school?

Grimacing, Ventus tapped his response.

> **VEN:** It’s Namine. She and I haven’t  really talked, since, y’know…
> 
> **VEN:** Not that I haven’t tried, but I  just don’t know what to really say  to her to get her out of her own head  long enough to talk to me again.

He waited as his friends’ response bubbles appeared, disappeared, and appeared again a few times to reveal their thoughts on the matter.

> **AQUA:** She went through something  tough, and she probably needs some  time to sort herself out.
> 
> **TERRA:** Ask her if she needs help with  anything, and keep reminding her that  you are there, if she needs someone to  talk to. You can still tell her how you feel,  but what you really need to be here is  supportive of what she needs while she  recovers from the shock and stress. You  could always offer to help her study, and  keep it on her turf, in her control, since  that’s probably something she needs  right now.

Ventus stared at the screen. Aqua posted another reply in agreement with Terra’s statements, but Ventus tightened his jaw. He’d tried all of that; she didn’t seem to hear him whenever he spoke to her. She was always spacing out, lately. He just wanted the old Namine back, but he felt like that wasn’t going to happen with Vanitas around.

And Vanitas… Sure, what he’d done had been messed up. Ventus almost couldn’t believe how Vanitas held such bitterness and resentment until it finally reached the breaking point where they fought. He wasn’t always that way, though, and Ventus struggled to understand where they went wrong. It was like a switch had flipped when they were kids, and Vanitas suddenly hated him for everything. That was what drove them to have separate bedrooms when they were younger; Vanitas could no longer stand to share his space with his twin brother. As angry as Ventus was, though… part of him accepted that the Vanitas he thought of as his brother was long gone. The next step for making peace with that was probably to actually talk to Vanitas. His speech had blended together a bit after Ventus punched him, and he should probably make sure Vanitas hadn’t been terribly injured as a result. Even though he deserved it, for what he did to Namine. He slipped his phone back in his pocket, steeling himself for the decision he was about to make.

He was going to see Vanitas, after final exams were over.

~~~~~~~~~~

As it turned out, Vanitas plead guilty without going to trial, but his lawyer managed to keep him out of prison by getting him into a hospital (he had, evidently, been high on some sort of sleeping pill on that day, so he was placed into a rehabilitation program). Ventus walked the hallway toward his brother’s room, noting the blank walls and trying to ignore the other people around the unit. Vanitas had a room to himself; perks, he supposed, of coming from a rich family who wanted him to ‘get better.’

Ventus entered his room, but Vanitas didn’t seem to react other than glancing up at the door. He turned away as quickly as he had looked, so Ventus couldn’t read his expression. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but Ventus thought that, perhaps, Vanitas was actually  _ ashamed _ of what he did. It would make sense. Vanitas may have been, well,  _ rebellious _ , but he had the same moral foundation that Ventus did. And given his motivation… it was plausible enough as the truth. But, Vanitas could at least acknowledge his presence in the room. Ventus would make ensure he wasn’t ignored.

“Hey,” he greeted.

“Go back home, Ven,” Vanitas scowled, turning further away. “Whatever you want, there’s nothing here for you to see.” Ventus blinked, but stood his ground, and balled his hands into fists.

“So, what?” Ventus scoffed. “You don’t want to know the damage you caused?”

“I’m not an idiot, Ven,” he choked out. “Her dad pressed charges--”

“Well, she won’t even talk to me anymore. She won’t talk to  _ anybody _ . She hardly even looks at me anymore, and when she does, it’s like she sees me as a monster!” Ventus collapsed onto the extra bed in the room, his back facing Vanitas. He sniffed. “Things will  _ never _ be like they used to.” He really wished he had something else to do with his hands.

“And that’s my fault.” A simple statement. Nothing more to say.

Ventus stood. “Ugh, why did I think it was a good idea to come here?” He strode to the door and paused, unsure. To turn back, or no? He didn’t think he wanted to know what his brother looked like in that moment.

So, he left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry to any of you who thought this story was dead. It's really not; I just have literally 3 jobs trying to save up to move out of my parents' place so I can live my best life, and hopefully have more time to write. This just happened to take the back burner with everything else I've had going on. Preview for the next episode: Namine meets some new people.


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